Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to exercise apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and techniques for exercising using sledge hammers, medicine balls and other similar apparatus.
Description of the Related Art:
In the fitness industry, a plethora of machines and devices have been used to facilitate muscular development, body health and overall fitness. One such device is a sledge hammer. As is well-known by many with experience in the use of sledge hammers for construction, exercise and other purposes, the repetitive motion of lifting a sledge hammer works a number of muscle groups including triceps, latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, internal and external obliques, lateral deltoids, rear deltoids, anterior deltoids, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Supplemental benefits of using the sledge hammer include aerobic conditioning, neuromuscular facilitation, coordination and increased excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
Typically, a conventional sledge hammer has a wooden handle and a metallic head. The handle can range from 0.5 meters (1 ft 8 in) to a full 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) in length, depending on the mass of the head. The head mass is usually 1 to 3 kilograms (2.2 to 6.6 lb). Modern heavy duty sledgehammers come with 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9.1 kg) heads.
Sledgehammers usually require two hands and a swinging motion involving the entire torso, in contrast to smaller hammers used for driving in nails. The combination of a long swinging range, and heavy head, increase the force of the resulting impact.
Sledgehammers are increasingly being used as inexpensive exercise equipment; since all major upper body muscle groups need to put forth a significant amount of force when swinging a sledgehammer, it can easily be used to work muscles to failure as in resistance training.
When used for exercise, the hammer is struck against a flexible surface that safely dampens the momentum of the head. A rubber tire is often used as the hammer's target as its elasticity reduces the shock to the user's joints when used for this purpose.
Conventional sledge hammers used for exercise typically require two components, a hammer and a target surface for safely receiving the impact of the hammer. This adds to the cost and limits the options of a conventional sledge hammer as an exercise solution.
In addition, most sledge hammers do not allow for the weight of the head to be changed or adjusted. Accordingly, a hammer may be too light for some users and too heavy for others.
Hence, a need existed in the art for a simple all in one low cost sledge hammer implementation for exercise purposes that enables hammer heads of different weights and sizes to be used as an all-in-one solution without the need for supplemental equipment. This need was addressed by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/860,256 filed Apr. 10, 2013, by A. Gavigan entitled MOST FIT EXERCISE SLEDGE HAMMER the teachings of which have been incorporated herein by reference herein. This application disclosed and claimed a hammer with an elongate handle having a longitudinal axis and a flexible generally geometrically uniform mass affixed to the handle at a distal end thereof. In the illustrative embodiment, the mass is secured to the handle with a bolt adapted to extend through the mass and into the distal end of the handle. The bolt is threaded and engages mating threads in the handle. Preferably, a cone is disposed on the distal end of the handle between the handle and the mass to secure the mass to the handle.
However, a need remains in the art for an improvement in this design to further secure the hammer head to the handle.